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You guys, these Beef Sambal Noodles are my ultimate comfort food. They’re beefy, savory, slightly spicy, refreshingly tomato-y, AND they’re low FODMAP of course! I used my go-to sweet potato starch noodles, but you can also use rice noodles or any other long-form noodle that suits your dietary needs.
The secret to achieving this super savory, yet refreshing flavor? Let the beef sit and sizzle to form a deeply browned crust, before breaking it up and adding fresh tomatoes. You can even throw in a heavy handful of baby spinach for a little extra health if that’s your jam! Now let’s get into the tools & ingredients.
What You’ll Need
Medium Pot & Colander – For cooking and draining your noodles
Small Bowl – For mixing the simmering sauce
Large Frying Pan & Tongs
About the Ingredients & FODMAP Content
Gluten Free Sweet Potato Starch Noodles – Sweet potato starch noodles are similar to glass noodles, and are great for soaking up sauces. The only caveat is that they have not been tested for FODMAP content. Fortunately, my stomach handles it well, but be wary especially if you’re in the elimination phase of the low FODMAP diet.
If you’re not grain free, rice noodles would be a great substitute. And if you’re using a different noodle, keep in mind that both sweet potato starch noodles and rice noodles absorb sauces well. I know this isn’t the case for some other grain free noodles, so that will affect your final dish.
I order my sweet potato starch noodles off of Amazon, by the brand Chung Jung One.
Lean Ground Beef – Lean ground beef works the best here, else your noodles will be on the greasy side. If using beef with a higher fat content, feel free to drain some of the fat before adding the tomatoes and simmer sauce.
Sauce Ingredients
Fresh Tomatoes – This is the base of the sauce, and gives the noodles a certain freshness. I don’t recommend subbing in canned tomatoes as the canned-tomato taste will overpower the beef, and your noodles will taste more like a slightly savory spaghetti.
Sambal Oelek – This is a chili paste. Stay away from those with high FODMAP ingredients and opt for a simple one. The only one I use (and I find is available at most grocery stores) is the one by Huy Fong Foods. It has a rooster on the front and does NOT contain garlic!
Gluten Free Oyster Sauce & Tamari– Oyster sauce & tamari give the noodles saltiness and deeper umami. For oyster sauce, I typically use Lee Kum Kee, which I can find at most Asian grocery stores. I’ve also used Kikkoman. Oyster sauce is low FODMAP in 1 tablespoon servings, placing a serving of these noodles well under the FODMAP threshold. For tamari, I usually use San-J, which I’m able to find at my regular grocery store. Tamari is low FODMAP in 2 tablespoon servings.
Coconut Aminos – Coconut aminos adds some sweetness to the dish, and is low FODMAP in 1 teaspoon servings. I’ve found that all brands of coconut aminos I’ve tried are pretty similar, so use what is available to you.
Garlic-Infused Olive Oil & Green Onions – My favorite flavor bomb duo! If you’re using store-bought garlic-infused olive oil, be sure that it is actually FODMAP-friendly! Many brands manufacture garlic-infused oils in ways that result in FODMAPs making their way into the finished product. More on that in this article by FODMAP Everyday. My favorite garlic-infused oil is by Garlic Gold, which I buy off of Amazon in bulk.
Enjoy! 🙂
If you try these Beef Sambal Noodles, drop me a comment and let me know how you like it! I love it when you guys try my recipes, and I’d love to know if you love them as much as I do. Also, feel free to share your creations and tag me on Instagram at @thefodmapfactor.
Looking for other Asian-inspired dishes? Try my Asian Sesame Ginger Turkey Meatballs, or my Thai Green Curry!
Beef Sambal Noodles – Low FODMAP & Gluten Free
Equipment
- Medium pot
- Colander
- Large frying pan
- Small bowl
- Tongs
Ingredients
- 7 ounces sweet potato starch noodles OR rice noodles
Simmering Sauce
- 4 tomatoes diced
- 2 tablespoons Sambal Oelek
- 2 tablespoons gluten free oyster sauce
- 1 tablespoon gluten free tamari
- 1 teaspoon coconut aminos
In the Pan
- garlic-infused olive oil for browning beef
- 1 pound lean ground beef
- 1 bunch of chopped green onions, green tips only
- 1 teaspoon garlic-infused olive oil
- freshly cracked black pepper to taste
Instructions
- Cook sweet potato starch noodles or rice noodles according to package instructions. Drain once done and set aside.
- Prepare the simmering sauce by combining Sambal Oelek, oyster sauce, tamari and coconut aminos in a bowl. Mix well and set aside.
- Heat a splash of garlic-infused olive oil in a large frying pan on medium-high heat. Once the oil is hot and shimmering, place beef in a thin layer on the frying pan and DO NOT TOUCH for 3-5 minutes, until the beef achieves a deep brown crust.
- Gently lift one piece of beef to assess color. If the beef is the deep brown color of a nicely grilled burger, it's ready to flip! Let sit on the other side for 1-2 minutes longer.
- Optional: Before adding other ingredients, spoon out any excess rendered fat. Not necessary depending on the fat content of your beef, but feel free to do this if you prefer!
- Turn down heat to medium and add tomatoes and simmering sauce. Break up the ground beef while mixing in the sauce. Once the beef is completely broken up and ingredients are thoroughly combined, let simmer for 10 minutes.
- Add cooked noodles, green onion tips, 1 teaspoon of garlic-infused olive oil, and freshly cracked black pepper to taste, for extra flavor. Use tongs to incorporate added ingredients thoroughly into the beef mixture. Once thoroughly combined, turn off heat and prepare to serve! Garnish with extra green onion or Furikake.
Notes
- If using store-bought garlic-infused oil that is not certified FODMAP-friendly, make sure to use a brand that doesn’t list “garlic oil,” “garlic essential oil,” “garlic essence,” “garlic flavoring,” “natural roasted garlic flavor,” or anything similar in the ingredients list. There’s no way to know whether these ingredients are low FODMAP. More on that in this article on FODMAP Everyday.